


and so he spoke

by erzi



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-04
Updated: 2014-09-04
Packaged: 2018-02-16 03:12:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 737
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2253681
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/erzi/pseuds/erzi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“I can’t serve you anymore.”</p>
<p>“'Can't'?” the Grand King says, mouth so taut and hardly moving it's like he's made of wood, “Or 'won't'?”</p>
            </blockquote>





	and so he spoke

**Author's Note:**

> iwaoi week day 4: alternate universe
> 
> based off final haikyuu quest but 245% more angsty

 “What are you doing?”

His voice is honey laced with poison.

Iwaizumi stops oiling his sword and turns around, face like stone. “I'm leaving,” he says simply.

Something flashes across the Grand King's eyes: anger, definitely; disbelief, perhaps; and maybe even fear.

The Grand King laughs airily. “Don't joke with such a serious face, Hajime,” he says, trying to smile, but the corners of his lips are tight. It rather looks like a sneer. _How appropriate_ , Iwaizumi thinks dryly.

“I'm not joking,” he says, running the oily rag across the sword again carefully as he considers his next words, “I can’t serve you anymore.”

“'Can't'?” the Grand King says, mouth so taut and hardly moving it's like he's made of wood, “Or 'won't'?”

“Both,” Iwaizumi answers honestly. He places the rag and sword aside, stands lightly on his feet as he moves toward the suit of armor the headless mannequin wears.

“That's for battles only,” the King says hastily.

“Hmm.”

“You're telling me you're not only walking out, but taking something _I_ had made for you with you?”

“You had it made for me,” Iwaizumi says, “But it's still mine.”

The Grand King watches in silent fury as his second-in-command motions for his waiting serving girl to help him put it on. The serving girl nervously steals a glance at the King, questioning with her eyes if she should obey Iwaizumi, who is quite obviously angering him. But the King stays mute, and she nervously follows the other's orders.

“You're breaking the law,” the King says through gritted teeth, his cool composure melting, “And right in front of me. It's one thing to turn against the King when you're a commoner, but it's another to- to be right _here_ -”

Iwaizumi gives him a look that makes his words hitch in his throat. They stand there, eyes locked, an uneasy tension between them. Time ticks by mercilessly.

“You can leave,” the King says suddenly, but he is talking to the serving girl.

She squeaks, surprised to be addressed and because she is not done, but nods, briskly excusing herself. The King moves slowly toward Iwaizumi, his steps hollow in the chamber. The only remaining armor pieces are the gauntlets. He picks them up daintily.

Iwaizumi puts his arms out, mouth twisted to the side. The King silently puts them on him, still with a delicate touch, and admires them for a moment before turning his eyes back up to Iwaizumi.

“Why?” the King asks, voice wavering.

Iwaizumi flexes his fingers, feeling the mesh of mail and the sturdiness of metal. “You've become too corrupted,” he says, eyes fixated on how his arms work beneath the gauntlets, “I hardly know who you are anymore.” He dares glance up. “When you open your mouth to say something – or, really, just you being in a room with me – it makes me want to use my sword against you.”

The King takes a small step back, eyes wide, mouth dry. “You would-”

Iwaizumi sighs heavily, letting his arm rest by his side. “But I'm not sure I could follow through with it,” he says quietly, “I start thinking about how you were before. How you were irritating but still a good leader, and somehow, someone I wanted to be around. So I followed you willingly. Now, though...” He drifts off, bites his lip. “I don't know how you got like this. I suppose I should have seen it coming; there was always a small part of you that thought what you had wasn't enough, a small part of you I was afraid of. I'm tired of this you. I don't want to be with this you.”

“You can't,” the Grand King says, but his tone is more pleading than royal order, “You can’t, Hajime, you _can’t_ ; I'm sorry-”

“Tell that to your kingdom.”

He sheaths his sword and makes his way past the King, who is frozen in place. He stops at the door.

“Tooru.”

The King thaws, hearing him say his name. “Yes?”

He turns his head over his shoulder, and the sadness in his eyes tell the King that there's no more hope.

“You were great once.”

He turns his head back around and leaves, his steps growing softer and softer until they’re no longer there.

The Grand King's cape billows around him as his legs give way beneath him, and he's falling with no one there to catch him.

**Author's Note:**

> is the title taken from 'the rains of castamere'? well


End file.
